Audit Action Groups

SQL Server groups auditable actions into convenient categories called Audit Action
Groups. You can enable action groups for auditing on a
specific database
or across the
entire server.
Action groups cover all auditable actions except a few Transact-SQL commands called
audit actions.

Some action groups comprise only server level operations (e.g. create database,
drop server role) and so are only available in
server audit specifications.
Other action groups are applicable at the database level but can be included in
a server audit specification so that those actions are audited on all databases
- even new ones created the future. This is indicated in the Database and Server
columns below.

With SQL Server 2012 and 2016, Microsoft introduced some new audit action groups also indicated
in the table below. Also some action groups that were formerly server-level only, became available at the database level and are indicated by the footnote.

LOGbinder provides a free tool to help you implement audit policy through a step-by-step
interface:
SQL Audit Policy Wizard.

* Available on database audit specifications as of SQL Server 2012
** Some events in this action group are available as of SQL Server 2016
*** Available on server audit specifications as of SQL Server 2016